The Archaeology unit of the BANARAS HIINDU UNVIERSITY,
was established in the year 1957. It is more than four decades now
that this wing of the Department of Ancient Indian History, Culture
and Archaeology, has conducted a number of field investigations
in the middle Ganga plains and the adjoining regions. As a result
of which more than 300 sites have been brought to light through
explorations, and 25 major excavations have been conducted. Together,
these investigations were carried out in a wide area lying within
the boundaries of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, and also cover a long
time span from Early Stone Age to the Historical period. The archaeologists'
spade of the BHU, has made significant contribution, not only by
discovering ancient remains, but the efforts of the Faculty towards
the reconstruction of almost all the techno-cultural stages, and
contemporary societies of north India in general and the middle
Ganga plains in particular, have also been Internationally appreciated.

Stone Age sequence in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar was
not well known till the archaeologists of the Banaras Hindu University
initiated meaningful field studies in the Vindhya-Kaimur region,
adjacent to tIle Ganga plains. The discoveries of Stone Age sites
covered all the techno-cultural stages of Palaeolithic, Mesolithic
and Neolithic. Since the aim was to reconstruct the behavior of
Early Man, the field studies revolved primarily around locating
and exposing habitation floors. PAISRA was one of the major discoveries
of the last century , where evidence for the construction of huts
and temporary shelters were uncovered in the earliest known context
(more than one lakh years ago) of the Indo-Pak sub- continent. Similarly,
the evidence for the emergence and expansion of food producing economy
in the middle Ganga plains could be found from the excavation of
SENUWAR site, in the foot-hills of Kaimur ranges.

The earliest wide spread occupation of the Ganga plains
now can be assigned to such village dwellers who were primarily
farmers, and were also using copper in small quantities. A number
of sites, which have been excavated by the Banaras Hindu University
in various parts of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar , demonstrate that most
of the early Historical urban centres have developed over these
Chalcolithic or the Copper using cultural horizons. The noteworthy
sites where this feature could be ascertained are SENUW AR , KHAlRADIH,
NARHAN, AGIABIR etc.

It is also responsibility of an archaeologist and
historian to reconstruct the local history on account of reliable
facts. It is for this reason the archaeologists of the Banaras Hindu
University commenced their academic pursuit from the excavation
of RAJGHAT (ancient Varanasi). Subsequent investigations in and
around Varanasi and Sarnath, has helped in piecing together the
history of this old and world famous city. It may now be held that
the history of Varanasi starts from about I 1,000 B.C., when small
village settlements were in existence. Identification of this horizon
It AKTHA near Varanasi-Sarnath in recent most excavations is particularly
significant. From the simple village settlement, Varanasi appears
to have developed into a large and famous urban centre in early
Historical times, which is well documented in the archaeological
remains of Rajghat. That this urban centre was surrounded by a number
of satellite settlements, which were catering to the needs of the
city dwellers could, further be reconstructed on account of the
excavations of such small sites as SARAI-MOHANA, KOTW A, TILMANPUR
etc.

The hills of CHUNAR lying very close to Varanasi are
important resource zone for the supply of sandstone to the entire
middle Ganga plains. The field investigations carried out in this
region were very rewarding, as archaeological evidence for ancient
stone quarries could be discovered here. It is now possible to demonstrate
the entire mechanism of stone chiseling -from quarrying of the stone
blocks from the Vidhyan sandstone formations, -transportation of
the blocks to the workshop sites and, -the identitication of chiseling
workshops, -around Varanasi and Sarnath, two main consumer settlements
for stone sculpture of ancient times.

Another major contribution of this institution to
the history of the Northern India has been the excavations at BHITARl,
a Gupta period site. In Ganga plains, the archaeological horizons
of this period are marked by less prosperous and restricted structural
activities. But, Gupta period is referred to as the Golden Age of
the Indian History .In the light of this, the remains at Bhitari
are very significant. For not only a temple based township of the
Gupta period has been exposed, but, it could be shown that this
settlement was estab]ished and had flourished under the direct patronage
of Gupta kings. The number of epigraphs found at this site has helped
dating various structural phases (between circa A.D. 450 and 550)
with precision. Thus, the archaeological remains at Bhiari are very
valuable evidence for the history of Gupta art and architecture
on one hand and history of settlements in the Ganga plains on the
other.

All the major categories of antiquities discovered
from the above mentioned important archaeological sites are the
exhibits of this display.